Published 2012-02-12T22:07:00Z”/>
Sam Kelly
In public I can hold her hand without hesitation, touch her without taunts, show my affection without aggravation and have no problems publicly expressing the love and adoration I hold for my girlfriend.
Although I am an adamant opponent of indulgent public displays of affection, if you are happy with the person you’re with in a public place, in this case Chico State’s campus, then no one else should care.
Same-sex relationships are again a hot topic in the national sphere with last week’s federal court ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. This occurring while the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community has endured recent violent attacks in Chico illustrates the complex nature of progress toward equality.
With relationships and expression of affection in mind, I set out to determine how welcoming Chico State is to same-sex relationships.
In fall 2011, Ange Bledsoe-Briggs, a junior geography major, transferred from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, a large college near downtown Indianapolis, with her partner of more than three years. Organizations like the A.S. Gender and Sexuality Equity Center really go a long way in allowing people to flourish as individuals, she said.
“Chico State definitively has a positive and friendly atmosphere for the LGBTQ community when compared to IUPUI,” Bledsoe-Briggs said.
The environment plays a huge role in how comfortable one is with openly being who they are, but same-sex couples still have to manage how they express themselves, even here on Chico State’s campus, GSEC director Kimberly Edmonds said. Same-sex couples have to be aware of where they are, who’s watching and what the consequences might be.
“In general, it’s something they have to think about on a daily basis,” Edmonds said. “And that’s a privilege that a lot of straight couples don’t even realize they have.”
There are people who must consistently expend enormous amounts of effort and energy to present themselves in an “acceptable” way. This is not only a detriment to their success, but ultimately a detriment to the society in which we live.
Scott Gillson, a senior business administration major, grew up with two fathers and can attest that it was the best and most stable relationship in his life. The relaxed and friendly atmosphere is why he chose Chico State and also why it is a comfortable and accepting campus for same-sex relationships, he said.
“You can come, you can be you and you can get your shit done,” Gillson said.
Simply having programs and a place available on campus for anyone to come and ask questions about gender and sexuality is an enormously valuable resource, said Abby Teicheira, the LGBTQ program coordinator for GSEC.
“If I didn’t have this safe place, I wouldn’t have actually been able to flourish in my academic studies,” Teicheira said.
At a time when the United States faces enormously complex problems in a variety of societal sectors, we cannot afford to hinder the best in our society based on singular personal traits and characteristics.
Dehumanizing any discriminated group allows many citizens to insulate their ignorant opinions and pretend they are not active participants in perpetuating an oppressive and discriminatory society.
My uncle is gay, and throughout my life I have been involved with sports and have always fit in with the straight, white, middle-class majority. I made gay jokes, both subtly and openly. I have made others feel unwelcome and unworthy with words I have said and quite possibly hurt people I really care about.
He is not a flamer, a homo or a faggot. He is my Uncle Mike. He is a member of my family and someone I love very deeply. Taking into account my role in pepetuating the cycle, I am now working to become a better person in the hopes of creating a future that allows everyone to flourish and in turn making this country strong and proud once again.
“People are people,” Gillson said.
And who you are is defined by so much more than who you are into.
“It has no relevance to anybody else’s life but that one person, and that’s how it should be treated,” Gillson said.
It is difficult to comprehend that the 20-somethings are active participants in shaping the future. Students can either accept the same future their parents had, the present they now find themselves in, or they can challenge themselves to make a better society.
Humanize those you think you may hate, discriminate against and joke about. See if you still feel that way. If you do, then you hold a valid stance. Whether it is hateful or not, you have every right to hold that opinion in this country. However, do not hold opinions simply because they are widely held, hold opinions because you truly believe in them.
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<strong>Sam Kelly can be reached at</strong>
<em>[email protected]</em>
